Lubricant-segregating means for inverted internal-combustion engines



w. H. JOHNSON, ANT SEGREGATING MEANS FOR INVERTED INTERNAL COMBUSTIONENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB, 20, I920- 1,362,006.

LUBRIC Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

In yen tar, WiZZiS J7. J07gnson, 5y

lTED STATES OFFICE,

WILLIS H: JOHNSON, or wnrnnnoo, rown.

LUBRIGANT-SEGREGATING MEANS FOR INVERTED INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

neeaoce.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filecl- February so, read Serial No. 360,043.

lubricant segregating means for inverted internal combustion engines,and the object of my improvement is to supply such anengine with meansfor diverting fluid lubricant discharged from moving parts above thecylinder and piston to be in greater amount segregated from saidcylinder and conveyed to an independent receptacle, from which it may bedrawn without admixture with or contamination by the condensed fluidfuel of the engine.

This object I have attained successfully by the means which arehereinafter described and claimed, and which are illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, which is a vertical central longitudinalsection'of an inverted internal combustion engineoconstructed to includemy improvement.

The engine may be of any type pertaining to he class wherein a piston isreciprocable through an open-ended cylinder 9. As commonly employed,such engines when the cylinders are placed upright, have theircombustion-chambers located at the top, with the piston-rod depending ineach case toward a crank-shaft whose cranks are inclosed in a crank-casebelow the cylinder. In this class of engines, a certain proportion ofunconsumed condensed fuel-oil, such as kerosene or other mineralhydrocarbon, can work downwardly between the piston and thecylinder-walls from the combustionchamber, and mix with and contaminatethe lubricating-oil which is used in the crankshaft bearings anddischarged thence into,

the lower and receiving part of the crankcase. The mixed oils are hardto separate, in order to permit of again using the lubricating-oil freefrom such contamination.

To prevent this mixing of the fuel-oil with the fluid lubricant, I haveinverted the engine, as shown, to locate the internal-combustion chamberof the cylinder at its lower end at 7, so that the piston mayreciprocate in the cylinder 9 with its piston-rod extending upwardly tothe crank-shaft which traverses the crank-case 2 above the cylinder.

The crank-case is constructed with its sidewalls 1 considerably widerapart than the diametei of the cylinder 9 below, so that the bottom ofthe crank-case at 3 may be horizontally disposed surrounding the openup-- per end 4 of said cylinder and spaced below it. A receptacle 6 maybe formed integral with said casing and extending below it, tocommunicate therewith by means of an opening 5, said receptacle having avent at the bottom supplied with a screw-plug whereby the contents maybe evacuated when desired.

It will be observed that, when lubricatingoil is supplied o the bearingsof the 'moving partswithin said crank-case, the oil which is thrown offfrom these rapidly movin parts will tend to be dispersed downwar ly andoutwardly in directioninto the receptacle or pan formed by the depressedbottom '3 of the crank-case, and drained thence through the opening'5into the well or vessel 6, without admixture in any way withcondensation products of the engine fuel, or any carbon or othercontamination due to the consumption of fuel in the combustion-chamberor the. action of the mechanical elements of the enine. This lubricantis therefore suitable or reuse at once without need for purification.

Asuiiicient quantityv of the lubricant descends into the open upper endof the cylinder 9 to lubricate the piston without excess. No kerosenecan work from the come bustion-chamber 7 into the crank-case to .saidcasing being formed with means for segregating part of the fluidlubricant delivered from the mechanisms in the casing and separate fromthe said cylinder.

2. In an internal combustion engine, of the inverted type having itscombustion chamber below the piston, means located at the upper end ofthe engine cylinder and Patented Dec. 1a, 1920. Y

2 v v memos spaced below'it, adapted to receive and dicylinder, and areceiving vessel snlrrounding' vert lubricant delivered downwardly frothe open upper end of said cylinderwith' its 10 moving parts above saidcylinder; bottom spaced below said open upper end, 3. In an internalcombustion engine en 'said vessel having means for removing its 5inverted upright cylinder, a, reciprocable contents.

piston therein with piston-rod extending up- -Signed at Waterloo, Iowa;this 28th day wardly a crank operatively connected to-seid of J anilary,1920.

piston rod above the open upper end of said WILLIS H. JOHNSON.

